


the end of a marathon

by a_slumbering_hime (nap_princess)



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Crack, F/M, High School AU, Humour, Juvia my Queen, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 13:05:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17601905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nap_princess/pseuds/a_slumbering_hime
Summary: Okay, so here's the thing, Gajeel Redfox has a problem. A love problem, to be exact / It started off with spiked punch then actual punches then something else. All he wanted to do was stop chasing her– Gale, high school AU





	1. Chapter 1

**the end of a marathon**

* * *

**chapter one**

* * *

Okay, so here's the thing; Gajeel Redfox has a problem. A love problem,  _to be exact_ – There, he said it.

And it's a problem because he's totally, without a doubt, in love with Levy McGarden.

It happened the night he made it his sole mission to go to the end of the school year's dance and spike the punch. In and out, a quick not- _Mission Impossible_. It just merely three steps: (1) Go to the dance, (2) Spike the punch bowl and mix it well and (3) Wait around a bit to see someone take a sip then leave the gym and enjoy the aftermath later via tomorrow's  _Snapchat_ stories.

And if anyone whines, "Gajeeeeel, don't you think it's a waste of money to go to the dance just to spike the punch then leaveeee?"

Gajeel's answer to that would be – No, fuck you, it wasn't a waste of money. Because, (a) he snuck in with his friends ( _that's right_ , he has friends, suck it!) and (b) watching a bunch on inexperience teens get drunk for the first time and over-exasperate their intoxicated state is  **not**  a waste of time. It's fucking hilarious,  _got it_?

Anyway, back to the 'love situation' and how it happened.

It happened in a blink of an eye. And mind you, the scenery with the disco lights and romantic music and pretty dresses were not the facts that set his heart in motion, okay? He  **swears**  it wasn't. It was the fact that Levy had  _punched_  a guy right in front of Gajeel's eyes.

Yup. Levy. punched. a. guy.

Some six-foot fucker who was probably not even as wasted as he claimed tried to steal a kiss from Levy while she was grabbing a snack, and in the midst of her panic, she punched him. Not once or twice or trice but  _four_ times.  **Four**. Tiny, bookish Levy McGarden punched some six-foot kid four times in the face. She had a lot of strength for someone with such a small frame (probably all that arm day-book carrying exercises).

In Gajeel's eyes, Levy was  _relentless_. She didn't hold back and he was smitten by that fact.

Gajeel spent five seconds gapping at her then another five seconds trying to pick his Goddamn jaw off the floor while Levy panicked and ran to her friends. It took a while to process what had just happened, but when it did, BOOM – just like the sound of the kid hitting the gym floor and knocking himself the fuck out – Gajeel Redfox was in love.

One hell of a way for cupid to pierce Gajeel's cold heart with some dumb magical arrow, right?

Wrong.

 _Very_  wrong.

And this is the reasons why – Gajeel Redfox was a delinquent. We're talking piercings everywhere, leather jacket wearing, I-shaved-my-eyebrows-because-I'm-a-complex-person -but-also-fuck-you-I'm-not-gonna-tell-you-because-that's-none-of-your-business delinquent.

His image as a badass punk who skips class would be tainted if  _anyone_  knew he had a soft spot for Levy McGarden.  _Levy_ , who is the exact opposite of him.

His image –  _tainted_  – can you imagine? He put like ten percent effort to be  _that_  misunderstood (the other ninety-percent was his scary face, big muscles, short temper and, the wildfire spreading power of gossip among the student body and staff members). Gajeel can't just throw that all away, he had stereotypes to … well, fulfill.

Plus, he can't be bothered to try now with one more year of high school to drag through. No one would believe him if he told people he liked cats or played the guitar or liked singing (save for his friends)

His reputation was just too far gone.

Because, first of all, Gajeel went by his last name. His last name, Goddamn it!

Only one person called him by his first name (Juvia) and everybody else just called him by his last name after this one kid made it a big deal when Gajeel stepped on the back of his shoe, "Watch it, Redfox!", like excuse you knock-off-Nikes. So now that's a thing. And it's common knowledge to know anyone who's addressed by their last name is bad news.

Two, he's in a legit gang. Okay, so that may be stretching the truth. It's more like Gajeel adopted a bunch of social awkward rejects then persuaded them that school is dumb and filled with pansies like Erza Scarlet who's the Student Council President. So they should all skip class and ride around town on their motorcycles for fun then maybe steal some stuff for shits and giggles because  _fuck_ capitalism.

Following the gang thing, his friends are also a reason Gajeel can't just sweep Levy off her feet. They were all too used to rule-breaking and would likely mock him if he even thought of getting on Levy's good side. There was Juvia Lockser who looks like the fucking embodiment of Gloomsville; Natsu Dragneel who's got an attention span of a sparrow and ADHD so he's constantly bouncing everywhere, asking stupid question, not sitting still or all three and more; and finally, Jellal Fernadez, he has a fugly face tattoo, enough said.

That being said, Gajeel and his gang are the complete opposite of Levy and her friends. Levy's on the Honour Roll, she's on the Librarian Committee and she volunteers herself on the weekend to help people or whatever. Her best friend is Lucy Heartfilia who's probably going to grow up to be an astronaut for  _NASA_  or the president of space. Then there were Levy's other friends, Gray Fullbuster who's like the superstar athlete and the guy Juvia's head over heels for and, that ice prick's own best friend and said-pansy Erza Scarlet who will beat Gajeel's ass if she found out that he labels her as a pansy for being responsible and put-together.

Therefore, in summary, badass Gajeel Redfox can't possibly continue being in love with pure cinnamon roll Levy McGarden because that's  _bad_  and just fucked up. Also, he pretty much avoided Levy in the halls in Junior year when he bothered to go to school and spent like a whole Summer reflecting on that one fateful night.

So then why the fuck is Levy standing in front of him in the crowded hall, making a big ass scene by slamming his locker shut and demanding him to get his act together or so help her she will get Erza involved? It's his last year for goodness sake, his Senior year! Can't he catch a break?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes
> 
> The four times sucker punch story is based on a true event minus the romance.
> 
> Also, my first Gale.
> 
> Also also, I have no plot and thought of this chapter while walking home from the library. Reviews or encouragements are appreciated because I gotta survive writing a 4K essay on surveillance and then sit through five tests back to back.
> 
> – 14 April 2018


	2. Chapter 2

**the end of a marathon**

* * *

**chapter two**

* * *

"What the fuck are you screaming about, Shrimp?"

Okay, so these were not the best first words for Gajeel Redfox to utter to his long time crush, Levy McGarden, but her yelling is honestly scaring him and he doesn't know how to react. He's never spoken to her in his entire life so, honestly, what the actual fuck was she screaming about?

A part of him has this dreaded feeling at the pit of his stomach that Levy has found out that  _he_  was the one who spiked the punch last year. But he's not gonna go out and say it unless she accuses him of it. He's not guilty until proven, even if it was obvious that he  **did**  in fact do it.

"Are you serious?!" Levy snaps, standing as tall as she can and puffing her chest to prove a point.  _Uh-oh_. "Asking me why I'm shouting, the nerve! Can you really blame me for being this angry?!"

Definitely, uh-oh.

"We waited hours for you yesterday!" Levy yells, poking her small finger on his barrel of a chest.

Wait ... not 'uh-oh'. More like, 'uh what?'

But before Gajeel can express his confusion, Levy grabs onto his arm and starts pulling him in a certain direction.

"You're coming with me," Levy says as she continues pulling him.

"What? No, I'm fucking not." Gajeel replies, not moving and snatching his arm away from her.

"Yes, you are!"

"Why the heck should I follow you?" Gajeel asks, gritting his teeth. He hates it that Levy is being as relentless as she was the night she punched that kid in the face.

Levy first gives him a strange look then asks, "Are you stupid?"

Gajeel would have so ask her that back if he didn't already know she was a straight A student and on the Honour Roll. So instead, he snarls at her.

"No,  _I'm not_." He snaps back at her then says, "And it's not polite to come here and demand things when I don't have the damnest idea what you're talking about."

Regardless, Levy's face doesn't fall a second time. She only says, "I texted you about it and you said 'yes'."

Gajeel opens his mouth then shuts it, trying to piece things together. Texted? Did Levy get it out the school records? Because if she did, Gajeel had the bright idea to write Natsu Dragneel's phone number when filling out his school info.

That dumbass pink haired idiot must have thought it would have been hilarious to sign Gajeel up to something involving Levy then agree to it! And Levy can't possibly know it was Natsu behind it so Gajeel can't ask her but ...

But wait – Natsu doesn't know about Gajeel's secret crush on Levy. Only Juvia Lockser does (but that's only because Juvia tells Gajeel about her crush, Gray Fullbuster, all the damn time. Then again, she tells  _everyone_ in their circle of friends about Gray). So why would Natsu do such a thing if he didn't know about Levy being Gajeel's crush?

But wait –  _again_  – Natsu also doesn't know that Gajeel has been using Natsu's phone number all this while! Well,  _maybe_  Natsu did find out recently but he doesn't know about the crush bit. There was no connection to this 'prank' if Gajeel can call it that. Either way, Natsu's dead meat once Gajeel gets his hands on him. Guess his trio of friends will go down to a duo.

"I still don't know what you're talking about. I didn't get any texts from you. I didn't agree to anything." Gajeel says, crossing his arms.

"Ugh, I don't have time for your silly games!" She throws her hands up in the air in exasperation. "You're coming with me regardless!" Levy says and starts tugging on him again.

"Why should I?" Gajeel asks. He tries his hardest to glare at her but one word uttered from her mouth makes him want to die via getting hit by a  _FedEx_  truck, crumble to dust then get blown by a breeze  _and_ throw himself out the window – in no particular order.

Levy says, "Group project."

_Oh shit_ , Gajeel didn't want to be in a group project. Group projects were  **awful**! Nothing  _ever_  goes smoothly and usually only one person contributes to the work, maybe two people at best. Even the stabbing of Julius Caesar was group work and only twenty-three out of sixty people made an effort to stab him judging by the number of puncture wounds present.

"Group project for what?" Gajeel asks as soon as he pretends those words didn't make him want to die.

"Economics." Levy answers.

_Fuck_ , he  **hated** Economics. All that  _Keynesian Theory_  and drawing that dumb supply and demand scale thing. It was _so_  stupid.

Gajeel asks, "Who's in the group?"

Levy raises a brow then says, "Me," She points to herself. "You," She points to him now and Gajeel hopes she doesn't stop listing names because he knows he'll  _definitely_ die if that's the case. "Lucy Heartfilia," Oh, thank God! "And Erza Scarlet,"  _Oh fuck_ , never mind! He's dead meat!

Gajeel stands there, thinking of every possible way he can escape from this death trap but nothing comes to mind. On one hand, there's Erza. And on the other hand, there's Levy herself. Lucy plays almost no part in this equation.

"So are you coming?" Levy asks, cocking her head.

Now, in a scenario like this, Gajeel could have easily said 'No thanks' and just walk away. It's not like there's anything barely-five-foot Levy can do to bulky, strong Gajeel. But then a tugging feeling stops him from blowing Levy off.

At first, Gajeel can't really put a finger on what it is, but then it hits him like that  _FedEx_  truck he was dreaming of earlier.  _Oh no_ , it's the guilt of the spiked punch bowl coming back to haunt him.

"Gajeel?" Levy calls, she swears she's spent five minutes trying to convince Gajeel to do his part. She's getting more than a little annoyed.

"Redfox," Gajeel corrects Levy, causing her to frown.

"Do I have to get Erza involved and have her drag you to our meeting place?"

"… No," Okay, so he's going to roll back on the attitude.

"Then let's go." Levy says, motioning her arm but Gajeel doesn't budge. She taps her feet in response to Gajeel's thinking face.

"Fine." Gajeel finally answers. "When are we meeting?"

"Now." Levy answers.

"Now?" It's after school! Who the heck wants to do more school work after it's over?

"Now." Levy repeats then guides him to the library with the pull of his arm.

* * *

"Where were you yesterday?! We texted you and everything, you replied but never showed up!" Snaps Erza the moment Levy drags Gajeel to their spot in the library.

Someone hushes Erza but a glare from the redhead shuts the person up.

"You got the wrong number," Gajeel huffs and practically collapses into his seat.

Lucy stares quietly at her novel while Levy sits next to him (Gajeel wishes Levy didn't).

"Bullshit!" Erza says and she gets shushed by a different person this time.

"Call the number if you don't believe me." Gajeel dares. He swears he's been getting yelled at for fifteen minutes straight.

"Fine." Erza answers then turns to Lucy. "Lucy, call the number."

"What? Why  _me_?" Lucy squawks, brown eyes wide as she shuts her book.

"I'm out of credit."

"Wha –  _really?_  Okay, fine." Lucy answers, unlocks her pink bunny themed phone that's on the table and calls. Three rings echo on loudspeaker before someone answers.

"Hello?" The voice says. Gajeel knew right off the bat that it was Natsu flipping Dragneel. Though Gajeel won't reveal the pinkette's identity.

Everyone around the table immediately gaps at Lucy's phone then at Gajeel then back at the phone.

"Who the hell is this?!" Erza asks into the phone.

"You're the one calling me, I should be asking  _you_ that." Natsu says.

"I texted you on Tuesday about the group project. We agreed to meet up on Thursday but you never showed up." Erza explains.

Gajeel immediately detects Natsu's voice going into bullshit mode. "Oh,  _so_  sorry about that! See, it's actually a funny story! I lost my way because  _Google Maps_  led me somewhere dodgy then my phone died and – "

Erza cuts Natsu off while the others stayed silent. What is up with all this beef? She says, "I know you're a fake! You're not our  _real_  group project partner!"

Natsu doesn't even pause to lie his way out of it. He just lets out a hearty laugh like the little shit prankster he is then surrenders, "Guess the jig is up."

"Who are you, you little toad?!"

"I'm not telling you until you tell me."

"Erza. Scarlet." Erza says, emphasizing the power in her name. "Student Council President of Magnolia High," Then she does her best  _Liam Neeson_  impersonation. "And I will find you and I'll give you detention for a whole year for wasting my damn time –"

"Oh shit," Natsu says, sounding meek, before ending the call in fear.

"He hung up on me!" Erza explodes, wringing her hands around Lucy's phone.

"Erza, no! That phone case was a birthday present!" Lucy pleads loudly, attempting to grab her phone back.

If Gajeel could, he would give himself a facepalm.  _Honestly,_  how is Erza the Student Council President? Her temper is  _terrible_ , how is she leading the school with that mindset? And Lucy! She didn't seem as smart in person as people said she was. In fact, she looked like a typical neighbourhood blonde bimbo who cared too much about materialistic objects like her phone.

"Everyone settle down before we get kicked out of the library." Levy hushes her rowdy friends as she notes the increasing amount of death glares aimed at them.

The two girls immediately shuts up and Gajeel sighs under his breath. Well, he guesses at least Levy lived up to her status (when she's not screaming at him or dragging him to things he had zero knowledge he had agreed to).

"Let's not lose focus. We have Gajeel now and that's what's important." Levy adds, now a smile on her face to ease everyone.

Both Erza's and Lucy's brown eyes snap to Gajeel in return and Gajeel glares back, correcting Levy yet again, "Redfox. Call me 'Redfox' like everybody else."

"Yeah, but still." Lucy says, ignoring Gajeel. "How will we know if he'll actually contribute? What if he skips school and leaves us to do all the work?" Lucy asks in a not so whisper.

"I'm right here, y'know? I have fucking functional ears." Gajeel says in a matter-of-fact voice. He pretends he's used to having people doubt him and whisper about him.

"So you're saying you won't skip and leave us to do all the work?" Erza asks.

"Uh ..." Gajeel mutters.  _Shit,_  he shouldn't have spoken up.

"Because if you did, I'd be disappointed." Well, that  _actually_ hurt.

"I guess." Gajeel answers slowly.

"Good." Erza smiles triumphantly.

Gajeel can't believe he's losing to  _a bunch of girls_. A bunch of girls who have been judging him the second he sat down. He showed up, didn't he? Sue him.

Levy speaks up, "Let's just briefly talk about our topic then divide the work, okay? I know it's Friday and I know the meet up is sudden to you, Gajeel." Gajeel growls at this. "So we'll make it quick then give you time to go over the material tonight and pick it back up once you've got everything under your belt."

Gajeel hums at this.

"Let's meet up on the weekends too." Lucy suggests.

"The weekend?" Gajeel sputters, almost chocking from all the responsibility dropped on his shoulders.

"Yeah, the sooner we finish this project, the better." Lucy says, packing her novel and talking out a fat Economics textbook.

Well, Gajeel can't argue with that. The sooner he gets Levy and her friends out of his hair, the better.

"Here," Levy says, breaking Gajeel's train of thoughts as she nudges her own phone in his direction.

He notes that she had a  _Doctor Who_  case cover on it but doesn't bring it up. Instead, he asks, "What?"

"Put in your phone number." She says.

Gajeel can guarantee that he almost fell out of his chair in shock from that. He struggled to ask, "W – Why?"

"How else are we supposed to contact you on the weekend?" Levy argues, phone still raised in his direction.

"Can't you just tell me the place and time like a normal person." Gajeel argues back, scowling. There's no fucking way he's giving her something as permanent and private as his phone number.

"No, just put in your phone number."

_God_ , will Levy ever stop being so pushy around him? He hasn't done shit to her except that one punch incident (which she may or may not be aware of). All this nagging is getting to him. He may just drop his crush on her today.

Gajeel groans, "What if I just give you my e-mail? Would that make you feel better, Shrimp?"

"Gajeel –"

"Stop calling me by my first name."

" _Gajeel_ ,"

He swears his face is turning red from all the anger. "Shrimp, so help me –"

"Don't give me that sass. You probably haven't checked your e-mail in _months_.  **Gajeel** , I'm going to add you to the group chat and you're going to contribute one way or another. We need to do check-ups and make sure everyone's doing their part. I'm not going to let my grades slip just because your stubbornness prevents you from opening up and from spending time with people." Levy lectures.

Geez, Gajeel was getting real tired of Levy and her friends yelling and talking smack about him. He would have corrected her on his name  _again_  but he knows she'll just ignore it. Gajeel knows Levy's grades are everything to her and she can't slip up as an Honour Roll student but she didn't have to be so Goddamn rude about it.

So what if he spiked the punch? With the way Levy's acting, she probably deserved  _some_  bad karma in her life.

"I'm not fucking stubborn." Gajeel says as he snatches Levy's phone out of her grasp and punches in his number. "And I'm not against opening up or spending time with anybody. Just people like you who's been saying shit about me like I'm not right in front of your faces. You think you all are good role models being smart and all academic but you've been accusing me of being a bad person even though I haven't done  _anything_  wrong." He spat out the last part.

"Gajeel, we're –"

"Also, I  **hate**  school, unlike you. So, of course, it's not easy sailings for me but it doesn't mean I  _don't_  try, okay?" Gajeel holds Levy's phone hostage as he continues talking. "I'm going to do this group project to prove my point  **but** _don't_ waste my time and  _don't_  make me regret it. Your constant nagging is more than I've bargained for enough. Just keep this in mind, if you and your friends doubt me one more time or yell at me for something I'm  _not_  at fault for, then I'm out. I'm not the one who wasted your time yesterday, it was the other guy on the phone that you all got the wrong number off and I wasn't at class when the Miss Minerva McBitchFace assigned me as your project partner so that's out of my control too."

At this, Gajeel sees Levy look remorseful for shouting at him and even Erza shrinks back.

Gajeel continues, "Also, don't make bad assumptions about me and don't call me by my first name, got it? These are my conditions."

Lucy nods, taking everything in.

"Deal?" Gajeel asks.

"Deal." The three chorus back.

He hands Levy's phone back into her palm with a smack and grunts, "Then let's do this dumb project."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes
> 
> I didn't think I'd come back to this fic but I did so ...
> 
> – 17 April 2018


	3. Chapter 3

**the end of a marathon**

* * *

**chapter three**

* * *

Levy McGarden thinks,  _Wow, he_ _ **must**_ _think he's so smug._

Because, (1) miraculously, Gajeel Redfox does not end up the last to show up to the little coffee shop for the group project that weekend and (2) Gajeel had a smirk plastered on his face as he wore this  _Harry_   _Potter_ themed shirt that said 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good'. He must think he's such a rebel but he's no. He's just, some ... nerd rebel … with beefy muscular arms.

(It's not her, it's the shirt, she's just pointing things out, alright?)

The short girl tries her best to not let Gajeel get on her nerves, despite him doing  _absolutely nothing harmful_ besides making that face that screamed 'Look at me, being a good student, contributing'. Just a few days ago, he was saying how he was forced against his will to commit nonsense made up by dead guys, and now he's leaning against his chair, basking in the sunlight and sipping on his hot beverage.

"When's Bunny Girl coming?" Gajeel asks, impatient apparently.

Levy turns away from her conversation with Erza, utters a "Soon," then turns back to the redhead. But she does stare at him through the corner of her eye.

 _Unbelieveble!_  Levy thinks, feeling a headache sprout. She knows she and her friends had agreed to be on good terms with Gajeel for the sake of the Economics project but she just can't fathom him actually contributing.

Honestly, she's heard rumours about this guy.  _Bad ones_! He just looks like trouble and she doesn't want to suffer any consequences from hanging out with him too much. Gajeel had shown up on a tricked-out motorcycle for goodness sake, looking ready to stir up some drama.

"Quit staring, I can feel your bad vibes from here." Gajeel's red eyes glare at her.

But, Levy notes how the glare isn't sharp. It's like on the lowest setting from the dirty looks she's seen him throw in the halls at anybody who looked at him funny.

"I said quit it, Shrimp."

And Levy does. But, ah, that was another thing that just irked her about him. She wishes Gajeel would stop calling here and her friends these ridiculous names. It seems like Gajeel has the inability to remember  _actual names_  so he just makes up all these nicknames because, she thinks, he  _can't_  be bothered.

"Give him a chance." Erza says as Gajeel pulls out his phone and busiest himself. Erza says this while leaning in to whisper into her friend's ear. Despite having a temper, Erza is also the quickest to forgive.

Levy sighs, letting her growing anger simmer down. Erza's right. He did show up, that's better than nothing.

* * *

 **LOOK BehIND YOU, beAUTY qUEen rejECt!**  The text reads and Gajeel swore he died a little on the inside (and it's not just from the horrible weird cap lock message). Gajeel knows only ONE person writes like this and he can't help but think –  _Oh no, what is_ **that idiot** _doing here?_

When Gajeel swirls a whole 180, he sees a wide goofy smile, cotton candy pink hair and mischievous green eyes. There's no doubt about it, Natsu Dragneel is a fool! The pinkette probably saw Gajeel sitting outside a food place and just thought 'Hey, I'm gonna join him' without even considering to look at the two girls with Gajeel (because Natsu will always notice food first above everything else).

Gajeel starts shaking his head, telling Natsu to leave but Natsu keeps waving an arm wildly in the air while he presses his gas pedal, inching his motorcycle closer by the little table.

'Go away!' Gajeel mouths, practically hissing but Natsu just laughs. He doesn't see Erza until  **it's too late** , his tires screech to a halt when he notices bright red hair and Erza's powerful folded arms.

"Who are you?" Erza asks, staring straight at Natsu, who still has his arm mid-air in greeting. She takes one look at Natsu's leather jacket and asks, "Are you looking for trouble?"

Natsu immediately sweating buckets and shakes his head, ready to reverse and run away.

"Chill, Red, this is my friend." Gajeel answers slowly. He sees Erza's facial features relax. It was clear the redhead was ready to protect herself and Levy from any funny business.

Gajeel's best bet was for Erza to drop the topic. Change the subject or whatever. But, on the other hand, he almost thought Erza would laugh and say 'You have friends?!'. However, what Erza does next is worst –  _she keeps asking questions._

"You're Redfox's friend? What's your name?"

Gajeel exchanges a glance with Natsu, clearly catching the drift that Natsu doesn't want to give up his identity.

"Erm, I call him 'Salamander'," Gajeel replies and Levy rolls her eyes a little.  _Of course_ , a nickname.

Natsu waves out of politeness (and fear of that dreaded prank messages exchanged). Natsu doesn't say anything though, clamping his mouth shut. He doesn't want Erza recognizing his voice, this girl has a wicked good memory!

"Isn't he going to say anything?" Erza asks, raising a brow.

"Uh," Gajeel looks at Natsu who's silently pleading for Gajeel not to expose him. "No. He's um, mute." Which is a big lie. A lie of the century, Natsu is the biggest chatter box Gajeel has ever known.

"Aw, you poor thing." Erza says, touching Natsu by the shoulder in which Natsu just nods. He doesn't want to get his ass whooped. "Let me buy you a drink."

Now, usually, Natsu would be jumping for joy at the offer of anything free, especially something he can consume. But this time, his expression read 'What?! Why?! I don't know you!'

"You should sit!" Erza insists and yanks Natsu out from his motorcycle and down to the seat next to her with her super strength. Natsu almost lets out an alarmed cry but doesn't, not wanting to blow his cover. She tells him, "It's okay, Lucy's not here yet so you can sit here."

"Salamander really has to go. He just stopped by to say 'hi'," Gajeel says, stepping in because – what the heck? Why wasn't Erza  _this welcoming_  to him when he joined the table?

"Nonsense!" Erza replies, her steely grip on Natsu's shoulder. "Any friend of yours is a friend of ours!"

Um, since when?!

"I'm trying to strengthen our group bond, Redfox." Erza says, smiling before she signals for the waiter to come over and orders Natsu's drink for him. Some kind of warm beverage.

Gajeel can only think this is the karma Natsu deserves for being a little shit. Except that Natsu's thrown in a limbo of having a 'secret identity' and rewarded with hot chocolate. But Gajeel doesn't think Natsu has the stomach to even sip the damn thing.

Then, with her chin rested on her palm, Erza starts prodding Natsu for all kinds of answers.

"So, I don't think I've seen you around. Are you new?" Erza asks Natsu, tilting her head to memorize his face. She's Student Council President, she swears she's remembered every student's face and name. She considers it a disgrace if she can't look out for her fellow students.

Natsu shakes his head 'no' to the question.

"Really? I know school is big but I honestly think I've never noticed you. Funny since you have bright pink hair. Do you go to special classes then?"

Once again, Natsu shakes his head in response. This feels more like an interrogation than a friendly chat.

Gajeel opens his mouth, one last attempt to save Natsu and his dumb ass, but Levy beats Gajeel to the punch.

"Leave it, when Erza's on a roll, she stops at nothing." Levy utters, poking her drink with her straw. "Don't worry though, your friend won't be eaten alive or anything. Erza's just overly curious at times."

She sees Gajeel squeeze his red, red eyes shut, perhaps contemplating on his life choices. His eyes stay shut for what seemed like forever, all while Levy says nothing to him. She just tries to study him, reading his face and trying to understand him.

Levy reflects on Erza's words from earlier. Well, since Erza's occupied talking this Salamander guy's ear off, she may as well try to talk to Gajeel. She knows she started off on the wrong foot with Gajeel (though she has a suspicion that he's more guarded around her than anyone else in the group).

Turning to Gajeel fully, Levy clears her throat and asks, "So,  _Redfox_ ," It felt so weird calling him that but he wants to be addressed by his last name so whatever. "You're a  _Harry Potter_  fan?"

Gajeel only looks at her, eyes open now. "What? Are you doubting that I can read too?" He tells himself he needs to put his defenses up. Can't have small Levy McGarden squeeze through his cracks.

"No. I never said that."

"Then?"

"…  _Then_? I'm just asking. Trying to be friendly."

"Hm," Gajeel says, which could be translated to 'I don't want to be friends', 'Yeah, whatever' and 'Yes, I'm a HP fan', only that he isn't, he got this shirt from  _Goodwill,_ but Levy doesn't need to know that (much like the spiked punch incident).

Levy lets the comment slide and gives Erza a look which is obviously not returned. Looks like attempted small talk is a no-go … eh, she tried.

By the time Gajeel has turned away from Levy and their 'conversation', it seemed that Erza was finishing telling a tale of sorts to Natsu.

"– and that was how Gray ended up with that scar on his forehead. Man, it's so easy to talk to you!" Erza murmurs happily, apparently having a wonderful story time with Natsu.

From the corner of Gajeel's eye, he reads Natsu's face say something along the lines of 'That's cause you've been doing all the talking'.

"Why haven't I ever talked to you before? I swear I haven't seen you in school, we should hang out more often!" Erza says to Natsu, clapping his back rather roughly.

Natsu's green eyes slide to Gajeel's face as if begging for help. Gajeel can only shoot back a helpless look, not knowing what to do. Erza can really go off tangent and talk when she wants to apparently. Gajeel  _still_  doesn't understand how Erza is Student Council President.

Fortunately, it's Lucy who saves the day by finally showing up.

"Hey! Hi! Oh – I'm so sorry! I got lost and couldn't find the way!" Lucy says, the sound of her bookbag hitting her back tells Gajeel that the blonde's back must hurt and she must have been exhausted from walking all the way here.

Natsu quickly moves out of his seat, seeing this as an opportunity to escape before gesturing for Lucy to sit.

The blonde's face brightens and she sits down without a second thought. "Oh, thank you, uh – who are you?"

"This is Salamander." Erza says like Natsu and her go way back when in actuality, they've only known each other for ten minutes or so.

Natsu nods enthusiastically, even giving a little salute before hopping on his motorbike, illegally parked by the side of the café.

Erza's brown eyes widen. "Are you going already?"

"He has errands to run." Gajeel lies for Natsu.

"Oh, but, you haven't even finished your drink!"

Natsu only motions his hand like he's repelling the drink (or perhaps Erza herself).

"Okay, I guess I'll see you around? Stay in school!" Erza says, waving Natsu off.

Natsu doesn't exactly know how to respond to that because he's not been staying in school for the past few months so he just awkwardly finger guns Erza. No promises. Then bikes towards freedom – that lucky bastard. Gajeel can't help but stare at his friend's slowly shrinking figure as the pinkette zooms away.

Gajeel's had some weird days, but this might just be the weirdest. He never thought that any of his friends would go along so swimmingly with any of Levy's friends. But then again, Natsu wasn't exactly ecstatic at Erza's sudden kind gesture and light babble.

Meh, good thing it's over now.

When Gajeel gets his bearing together, it seems everything has gone back to normal. Levy isn't attempting anymore small talk, Erza's pulling out her laptop and Lucy unloads her bag. For a moment, Gajeel thinks things couldn't possibly go out of hand  _again_. This was probably all he'll ever do with the trio.

.

.

.

Until the next week came and Gajeel wished to be punched out cold.

* * *

Gajeel-kun!" Juvia screams so loud on Monday morning, calling the attention of the entire hall. She may as well have waved a fat foam finger and worn a shirt with his face on it while she's at it.

"Gajeel-kun!" Juvia repeats, closer now. "Why didn't Gajeel-kun tell Juvia he was friends with Gray-sama's friends?"

"Because I'm not." Gajeel answers. He only came today because he has Economics and doesn't want to be screamed at by the group.

"Lies! Natsu-san told Juvia that Gajeel-kun was hanging out with Erza-san and her friends last weekend. Natsu-san even told Juvia that Erza-san told him the story of how Gray-sama got that scar on his forehead, that's valuable information to Juvia!"

"Like I care!"

"Gajeel-kun must introduce them to Juvia! It's the only way Juvia can be close to Gray-sama!"

Hell to the no! There's no way Gajeel's going to introduce Levy's friends to his friends. That's crazy! What will they do after that? Get matching face tattoos with Jellal? That's not squad goals, that's a one-way ticket to lifelong regret!

But then Juvia hits Gajeel. Not physically, but it feels like the same effect. She hits him with those  _gosh damn puppy dog eyes_! The ones Juvia knows Gajeel  **can't**  say 'no' to.

But he tries anyway.

"No."

"Please, Gajeel-kun?"

"You're being weirder than normal, Rain Woman!"

And then Juvia intensifies her puppy dog look. Gajeel isn't even sure how Juvia could possibly do that, upping her pleading skills by fifteen percent. Not five, but fifteen! Which is maddening. She knows he's secretly soft!

"Pleaaaseee," Juvia says, hands clasped like a prayer. "Juvia will be Gajeel-kun's best friend."

Gajeel's mouth twitches. She's already his best friend, but he's not going to say that out loud for the public to hear. He shaved his eyebrows to scare people away! He can't just melt at some girl's mushy feelings for _some_  boy!

"Gajeel-kun would be doing Juvia such a solid request. Juvia will cherish Gajeel-kun's kindness forever."

"I'm  _not_  kind."

"Yes, Gajeel-kun is!"

"Lower your voice, people will hear your lame whining."

"Please! Please, please, please!" She grabs a hold of his leather jacket, not afraid of the simple gesture whereas most people wouldn't even make eye contact with him. See, this is what Gajeel likes about Juvia, she sees him as he is.

Gajeel tries his best to remain unmoved, looking away, but then his gaze slips and he decides, he's screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes
> 
> You know what I should really be doing? Updating my Naruto fanfic. You know what I'm doing? Not updating my Naruto fanfic.
> 
> – 6 September 2018


End file.
